Sayles, Hattie and Henry, Sr., House

Henry Sayles (1852-1916), born and reared near Brenham, Texas, studied law under his father, noted legal scholar John Sayles (1825-1897). Henry practiced law in Galveston where he met and married Hattie McAlpine. The couple moved to Abilene in 1886. Sayles practiced law here in partnership with his father and oversaw real estate belonging to Galveston clients. John and Henry Sayles wrote and published several books on Texas law. Harrie and Henry Sayles, Sr., built this house about 1889, at a time when few homes existed on present-day Sayles Avenue. Portions of the house, including a rear addition built sometime between 1895 and 1903, were remodeled after fire damage in 1941. Extensive renovations of the house began in 1974. The house is an excellent local example of a late Victorian-era dwelling. It features finely-executed queen Anne details, including porches with turned wood posts and balusters, jigsawn brackets and frieze, shingled and decorative wood gable ends, and a decorative brick chimney. As the president of Abilene Land and Improvement Company, Henry Sayles, Sr., was responsible for the development of Abilene's Sayles Avenue neighborhood. The house remained in Sayles' family until 1974. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1995

Sayles, Hattie and Henry, Sr., House is a historical marker in Abilene, Taylor County, dedicated in 1994. It is one of 49 historical markers documented in Taylor County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 129 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.4448, -99.7480 near Abilene. The nearest cataloged historic site is Sacred Heart Catholic Church (historical marker), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Weather Bereau Building, Old, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and McDonald Hall.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5441002406. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.